Staff Picks: Back to School Picture Books
by eapearce
We can’t believe school is starting back up already! Here are some back-to-school themed picture books to help ease the transition and celebrate school!
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes | Request Now
This classic picture book tells the story of Chrysanthemum, an adorable mouse, who is excited for her first day of school. But when she tells her classmates her long and unique name, she gets teased for its uniqueness. Saddened, Chrysanthemum doesn’t want to return to school despite the efforts and encouragement of her kind parents. However, when the beloved music teacher, an expectant mother, tells the class that she is naming her baby Chrysanthemum, everyone is delighted and Chrysanthemum’s classmates all wish they were named after a flower. This sweet book encourages owning your identity and supporting others. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse is another great first-day-of-school read by Henkes.
Daddy Long Legs by Nadine Brun-Cosme | Request Now
This book, translated from the French, depicts a father who invents creative ways he would pick up his child from school if things went wrong. His anxious son is nervous to be away from dad for the day, and worries that his father won’t be there to pick him up if the car won’t start or a slew of other issues arise. His dad responds to each of the child’s worries and reassures his son that he will be there to get him no matter what. This story is a great fit for kids who might be anxious to be away from home or caregivers for the first time.
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson | Request Now
It can be a challenge for people of all ages to enter a room where you don’t know anyone! National Book Award Winner Woodson and two-time Pura Belpre Illustrator Award Winner Rafael Lopez team up in this picture book to depict that feeling and how to overcome it. When Rigoberto, a Venezuelan immigrant, introduces himself at his new school, other classmates laugh at his name and accent. He feels like an outsider and worries that he’ll never connect with anyone at school. But then he meets Angelina, who feels different for her own reasons, and the two become friends. This book reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes, and it is a great show of bravery to go forth anyway.
I Got the School Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Request Now
This positive and uplifting picture book shows a young girl excited for school and all the school-related things she loves to do. In fact, she can’t wait for summer to be over so that school can start! She’s filled with “school spirit” as she packs and zips her backpack, gets on the school bus, meets and greets fellow classmates and makes new friends, and learns and enjoys her classes. This celebration of school will make even reluctant school-goers excited to head to the classroom.
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